AG announces winners of Stop Rx Abuse video contest

Raleigh: Three North Carolina high school students whose videos were selected from dozens of entries received awards as winners of the second annual Stop Rx Abuse video contest on Tuesday.

Brandon Jones, a senior from William A. Hough High School in Cornelius, won first place. (link to video)

Garrett Neal, a junior from Gray Stone Day School in Misenheimer, won second place. (link to video)

Bobby Kidder, a senior from Havelock High School in Havelock, won third place. (link to video)

“These students used their time and talents to create videos that show prescription drugs are every bit as dangerous as street drugs when abused or misused,” Cooper said. “Young people know best how to communicate this important message to their peers.”

Attorney General Roy Cooper presented the students with their awards at an awards presentation at his office in downtown Raleigh.

To educate young people about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, Cooper partnered with the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, the North Carolina Parent Resource Center, and the Governor’s Institute on Substance Abuse to sponsor the competition. The contest asked students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 in North Carolina to create 30 second, original public service announcement videos on the topic of teen prescription drug abuse.

The winning videos were selected by an independent panel of judges. The first place winner received an iPad, the second place winner received an iPod Touch, and the third place winner received an iTunes gift card. Prizes were provided by the contest sponsors.

Data from North Carolina and other states demonstrate that prescription drugs kill more people than illegal drugs (See HHS 2010 Study – The Burden of Unintentional Poisoning in NC). Approximately 1,000 people died in North Carolina last year from overdosing on prescription drugs, according to preliminary data from the NC Division of Public Health. Nationwide, fatal drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death due to unintentional injury, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

The intentional abuse of prescription pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants and sedatives to get high is a growing concern, particularly among teens. Among people ages 12-17, prescription drugs are now the second most abused drug, behind marijuana. Though overall teen drug use is down nationwide, there are troubling signs that teens view abusing prescription drugs as safer than illegal drugs.

“Prescription drug abuse is a silent killer and it’s on the rise, especially among young people,” Cooper said. “By getting involved in fighting this epidemic, students can help educate their friends and families and hopefully prevent addiction and tragic overdose deaths.”

The Attorney General’s Office plans to sponsor the contest again next year.